Sparks Suld Out

Scan page 7

After twelve weeks in dispute, the parity claim by EEPTU local authority workers has been sold out by the union leadership. Amidst accusations from delegates of manoeuvring by union officials, a meeting of shop stewards and delegates in London on 2nd May voted by 104 to 40 for a return to work, acceptance of the local authorities offer and the setting up of an arbitration tribunal to consider the remainder of the electricians claim. A work to rule will continue while the tribunal is sitting.

The claim is for parity of earnings with outside contractors who at present earn up to £20 a week more than local authority workers doing the same work. The local authorities offered an £8 increase but part of this is already being paid in threshold agreements and London weighting. London workers under such a settlement would only get an increase of £3.60.

NOT SERIOUS The record of the union leadership in this dispute shows that they never intended to seriously fight for the parity claim. Whilst their members were on strike in various parts of the country, union officials argued against all out strike action on the grounds that they did not have enough money to provide strike pay. This weakened the position of those workers already out on strike. It was clear to them and to the rest of the membership that a half hearted fight could not be successful. Nevertheless, the union leadership limited support for the strikers to overtime bans and a work to rule. As a result the £1 a week levy of the membership became more and more difficul to collect, financial support from the strikers diminished and demoralisation set in.

HARDENED At the same time the attitude of the local authorities negotiators hardened when it was realised that the struggle was being undermined by the union officials. This emergec at the national meeting when a letter from the local authorities was read out. It was claimed by the employers that parity could not be granted owing to the acute financial crisis facing local authorities and the pressure being exerted on them by the government and rate-payers to cut down public spending. It is rumoured that the local authorities may even withdraw their original offer.

This, then was the background to a meeting where it is alleged the delegates were divided up before the meeting in to those supporting a return to work and those proposing a further escalation. Those supporting a stepping up of strike action were then seated at the back of the hall, presumably in an attempt to isolate them. The meeting resulted in a vote for a return to work, amidst vocal protests from a number of delegates.

It is clear that arbitration will not give the electrical workers the parity they are demanding and the end of industrial action on the claim can only be temporary as inflation eats more deeply in to the wages of these workers. The Workers Socialist League supports the parity claim of local authority workers and their struggle to defend their standard of living against inflation. We demand that the union leadership fight for the parity claim in full. We further propose that when the next annual pay claim is submitted for November next EEPTU members should demand that their leadership fights for a sliding scale of wages, linked to the cost of living as determined by committees of trade unionists. We say that the social contract must be rejected by all trade unionists as an attempt by the Labour government to make the working class pay for the crisis. The leaders of the EEPTU are determined to avoid any fight on these issues, as shown by the decision they got at the Douglas conference on 8th May. EEPTU members must organise with other unions representing local: authority workers on a full programme for the defence of jobs! and wages.

astns